Sutherland
The Lord-Lieutenant of Sutherland is the British monarch's personal representative in Sutherland. Since 1975 the Lord-Lieutenancy of Sutherland has been defined as consisting of the local government district of Sutherland in Scotland, this definition was renewed by the Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996.
Sutherland is the fifth largest county in Scotland by area, covering over 2,000 square miles and with a population in the region of 13,000. Sutherland has 3 coasts to the north, west and east. It borders Caithness and the Moray Firth to the east, Ross & Cromarty to the south and the Atlantic ocean to the north and west. Sutherland lies within the Highland Council region.
Originally settled by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and subsequently by the Picts and Scots, Sutherland was then colonised and settled by the Norse in the mid 9th century. The name Sutherland originates from the time of Norse rule when the area comprised the Suðrland (southern land) under the control of the Jarl of Orkney. The Scottish Crown extended its authority northwards during the 12th century establishing both the Earldom of Sutherland and the Diocese of Caithness.
Sutherland today has a wealth of history, beautiful landscapes (including 4 of Scotland's forty National Scenic Areas), cultural events and many businesses. You can find out more about our county through the following links:
Sutherland page on ScotlandsPeople - www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/sutherland-county
Sutherland page on Britannica - www.britannica.com/place/Sutherland-historical-county-Scotland
Sutherland page on Wikipedia - www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutherland
VisitSutherland page - www.visitsutherland.org/about-sutherland
The Sutherland flag
The flag of Sutherland is made up of overlaid Saltire and Nordic crosses representing the unique history of Sutherland, being the part of the Scottish mainland where the southern border of Norse control met that of the Scottish crown. The golden sun at the intersection of the crosses symbolises the sun raised high in the south for the origin of the county's name Suðrland (southern land) as well as the stunning sunrises and sunsets that can be seen throughout Sutherland. The black represents both the peat of the Flow Country and the county's dark skies, and the black and white together echo the colours of the arms of the former Sutherland County Council.